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International Football

FIFA Letter Reiterates Kuwait's Ineligibility To Host Friendlies

A "star-studded" match to help mark the rebirth of a football "ghost stadium" looks like it has been "impacted by football politics," according to Motez Bishara of CNN. Due to feature the likes of Steven Gerrard, Andrea Pirlo and Carlo Ancelotti in FIFA-banned Kuwait, "the game had been scheduled for the long-awaited reopening of the country's national arena." But the players' involvement "looks in doubt following FIFA's stern letter" to its member federations warning them "not to enter into any sporting contact with the Kuwait Football Association and/or its teams during the suspension of the association." Gerrard's management team "did not respond to CNN's questions" as to whether the L.A. Galaxy player would travel to Kuwait. The KFA "also did not respond to CNN's request for comment." The letter stated that if Gerrard and Pirlo did take part they could "risk suspension not only for themselves, but also incur disciplinary action to the English and Italian football associations." The FIFA document -- headed "Suspension of the KFA" -- also bars Kuwaitis "who participate in the local league from involvement in the match." If the match does take place, "it will deliver the first action" to the 60,000-seat stadium in five years -- "and just the second football game since its completion" in '07. Banned by the football and Olympic governing bodies, Kuwait is "prohibited from staging" int'l friendlies (CNN, 12/14). The AP reported FIFA acting Secretary General Markus Kattner wrote to member associations last week "reminding them that the Football Champions Tour game was also covered by Kuwait's suspension." Kattner: "Such principle is, of course, also to be followed at all sporting levels involving football in the territory of the state of Kuwait" (AP, 12/15). 

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